(Editor's note: MSUB Athletics release)
MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Montana State University Billings volleyball team fell to Western Oregon University 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 23-25, 25-20, 15-12) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Showdown Thursday night.
MSUB (8-21, 5-14 GNAC) held a two sets-to-one advantage over WOU (5-22, 3-17 GNAC) after splitting the first two sets and taking the third. A fourth set loss pushed the match to the fifth and final set.
In a back and fourth set, a mini reflection of the match in its entirety, neither team could gain any separation. WOU held a 5-3 advantage early, the MSUB took the lead 11-10 after a WOU error. The Wolves would go on a 5-1 run to close out the match. MSUB’s last gasp came on a Maddi Vigil kill to tie the game at 12-12.
The entire match came down to each team needing just three points. It was the Wolves who took advantage of the moment and won the next three points consecutively to win the final set 15-12 and match 3-2.
Four Yellowjackets finished with double digit kills. Bayli Monck led all players with 17 kills, added 10 digs for her 14th double-double of the season and held a team high .293 hitting percentage.
Vigil had a double-double of her own with 16 kills and 10 digs. Skylar Reed finished with 11 kills and a .241 hitting percentage while Joelle Mahowald had 11 kills as well to go with a .226 hitting percentage.
Hannah Hashbarger provided 10 digs as well and finished with 49 assists. Marissa Logozzo led the team with 23 digs as the ‘Jackets corralled 67 combined digs for their highest total since October 12.
As a team, MSUB held a .186 hitting percentage, just up from their season average of .180. WOU finished with a .131 hitting percentage and 29 errors to MSUB’s 27.
The Yellowjackets finished with 10 more kills then the Wolves (59 to 49) and more assists (56 to 45).
“WOU played well tonight,” commented head coach Casey Williams. “It was their last game of the season and they worked really hard. We made some critical errors and we not consistent enough to overpower them”.
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets conclude their 2019 campaign as they take on Concorida Univeristy, Portland on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8:00pm MST.
The Buzz: Bayli Monck was named St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the game for her team leading 14th double-double on the year…Monck supplied 17 kills and 10 digs while hitting .293.
